Increased traffic, air pollution and environmental damage are among the reasons a group of activists were protesting last night, rallying against the proposed widening project of the New Jersey Turnpike in Hudson County.

The group in Power, NJ, organized the demonstration prior to the Turnpike Authority's open house on the first phase of the project.

Critics say the estimated $10 billion it will cost would be better spent elsewhere.

While transportation officials argue the current infrastructure can't handle modern day traffic.

Ted Goldberg reports.

As the New Jersey Turnpike Authority seeks a major reconstruction project in North Jersey, opponents in Bayonne argued against it just before the authority hosted an open information session.

What we're going to see is a severe a severe impact to our streets.

We're going to see an endangered community that will suffer from it, from using our streets.

It is going to disproportionately affect low income community and people of color the most.

And that we are being used as sacrifices.

The Turnpike Authority is pursuing a $10 billion project that would widen parts of this eight mile stretch of highway and replace 29 bridges.

Some actually protested in song.

We know that.

While others were a little more direct with their language.

This is a travesty of justice that must be stopped now.

Hoboken mayor and congressional candidate Ravi Bhalla railed against the Turnpike Authority and said people's homes could be at stake.

It's going to result in what's called eminent domain, which is condemnation.

They're going to displace, literally displace households.

People like these these are the things that they have not told you.

The Turnpike Authority disputes Paula's claims and says there will be.

Zero residential displacement for the entire 8.1 mile program.

There are no park takings as well.

We do largely within our right away as much as we can, maybe some small takings along a property line, but no residential displacements.

But supervising engineer Lisa Navarro did not rule out eminent domain entirely for seizing small portions of people's properties.

Typically, we we do a good faith negotiations, and in my experience, we largely are able to reach resolution rare case.

We do have eminent domain.

The information session did not allow for questions from the general public.

Its goal was to merely share information.

One of the benefits from the turnpike Authority is that the project will create 25,000 jobs, something that's interested organized labor and tradespeople.

It's a tremendous opportunity and businesses that are located in this area you go said Turnpike is going to work with our contractors.

We want to utilize a lot of the local businesses here.

We'll be putting a lot of men, women and minority tradespeople to work, especially hopefully from Bayonne, Jersey City and Norfolk.

One of the 29 bridges addressed by this project is the Newark Bay Bridge.

The Turnpike Authority says it's too old to be continually patched up.

If you lived in the old as long as I have, you will always have memories of just sitting in traffic on that bridge.

Some argue why widen parts of the turnpike if the Holland Tunnel isn't getting wider?

A traffic analysis report prepared by the Turnpike Authority says the program's enhancements do not address demand for additional trips to Lower Manhattan, but rather accommodate the growing local neighborhoods, communities and port facilities in areas such as Bayonne, Port Jersey, Jersey City and Hoboken.

While Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis approves of the project.

Jersey City's mayor and city council unanimously don't.

If they were.

Doing this for Jersey City, they would listen to Jersey City.

And Jersey City has said invest in mass transit.

So if every single elected leader from all different political persuasions, if all of us can agree that this is a mistake, we should be asking administration, you're clearly not doing this for us.

The entire project is scheduled to take 17 years, and a replacement for the Newark Bay Bridge may not be open until 2031.

Another public information session is scheduled for Jersey City later this year, where the Turnpike Authority should once again get an earful.

In Bayonne, I.A.

Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.